#(ask. games)

hh yeah i do need an ibuprofen 😞 and i have too many wips istg i have 11 drafts that stare at me with dissapointment everyday

(again, them. . .)

𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 .

He didn't dream often—or if he did, he couldn't recall. Behind his eyelids, all he ever saw was darkness, tinged by the vibrant flames of the Wild Hunt, and the chaos that would soon follow. He was alone, hearing voices that shifted to screams, but no one could be found.

His body ached with tension, unable to call for his polearm or his lantern. Smoke rose from the ground in tendrils, loosely grasping at his clothes and limbs like small hands. He couldn't move, yet wild eyes still sought out the noise. It could have been someone that needed help, or a corrupted spirit unable to move on. His own scream was caught in his throat as violent streaks of dark light followed up through his veins, creeping toward his chest, his neck, his head.

He felt a touch, gentle and unlike the claws of the Wild Hunt he had expected. A soft hush echoed in his mind, then all went quiet. Illuga stirred, becoming aware of the light behind his eyelids, a dull pain radiating all over his body from the injuries he sustained, and that gentle hand slowly running through sweat-dampened hair.

A deep sigh relieved him of the nightmare's grasp as he turned his head toward the point of contact. Slowly, pieces of recent memory were all coming together—Kipumaki Cliff and a surge of activity from the Wild Hunt. They predicted the outbreak, recognizing patterns now that the main enforcers were no more, and prepared to the best of their ability.

But, to keep the Abyss from encroaching any further than the mountains that encased the far north, the Ratniki had to take the fight to them. On corrupted grounds, where the Wild Hunt was known to mess with their heads and spawn where warriors fell, it was too easy to get lost in the chaos.

Illuga remembered being surrounded in a dark fog, with agonized and distressed voices all around him. Experience told him not to swing his polearm wildly, not until he could differentiate friend from foe. Aedon's cry called for him, guiding him and his weapon forward.

He remembered finally breaking through the fog, all alone and barely able to stand. In place of the unnatural darkness, a pillar of blue flame called out to him. Flins, Flins, Flins. Something must have happened for him to release so much power. Was he all alone out there too? The thought pushed him to move deeper into enemy territory, almost in a daze from the pain, but only allowing himself to collapse once Flins was within reach.

As expected, the hand in his hair attempted to retreat the moment his eyes fluttered open, and Illuga's own hand caught it before Flins could go too far. It took seconds for him to focus properly, noting that the hand he held now supported his own. How long had he been out? What of the mission? How many casualties did they suffer? So many questions, but he couldn't bring himself to ask for a report when Flins was looking at him with a peculiar expression.

"Flins," he whispered, wincing at his own raspy voice. Upon hearing it, Aedon dropped from his perch to land on Illuga's head, preening strands of hair with quiet chirps. Illuga could only imagine how he looked, every restless shift bringing awareness to the bandages and stitching keeping him together. Swallowing and clearing his throat, he tried again. "You're not hurt, are you?"

The image of Flins standing alone amidst the destruction he wrought was seared into his mind. The moment relief softened his features as he returned from the flames to meet him. Illuga couldn't bring himself to think that Flins might have stayed by his side all this time. Not without feeling his heart lurch in his chest once he focused on deciphering the meaning behind it.

Flins & Illuga <3

𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 .

The flash of lightning amidst a sea of flames was a sight to behold. A beacon of hope, much like the lanterns that willed away the deceptive fog of the Wild Hunt. Illuga sucked in a breath, a sharp pain digging deep around his ribs. Still, he held his polearm steady in both hands, deflecting the vile grasp of an infected corpse before following into a riposte. The ruined garb of a Lightkeeper caught his eye, an ache in his heart even as he drove the spear straight through, watching the spirit crumble to dust.

He could see a Wilderness Hunter, shoving its way through the abyssal rift that formed without warning. One among several that had suddenly torn throughout Kipumaki Cliff. Even with the Professor gone, the area still suffered corruption and corrosion. Its bloody history kept plenty of corpses and wayward spirits for the Abyss to claim.

Illuga wouldn't allow his spear to touch the ground, breathing heavy as he steadied himself. He couldn't underestimate the place that took so many lives, but he didn't expect such an outbreak on a routine patrol. An injury Rollon received made him unable to fight on his own, reluctantly following the order from his squad leader to retreat, if only to gather back up while Illuga held his ground for as long as he could.

He worried over the camp, knowing he couldn't cover all the rifts that appeared on his own. Several other Lightkeepers were scattered across the plains and he had no way of knowing how they fared. They could very well lose the campgrounds to the Wild Hunt yet again, setting back years of progress if they broke through the lines. He couldn't allow that to happen; he would uphold the oath he swore to when he became a Lightkeeper in the first place.

Our bones and blood we shall use as fuel, we shall make life greater than death.

He couldn't bring himself to flee this place yet again and face the graves of Ratniki he failed to protect.

The miasma from the Abyss rolled in thick, flooding his airways and sticking to his lungs, as Exiles meandered toward him. The Hunter wasn't far behind. A harsh cough wracked his frame, spitting out the blood that coated his mouth, before he gritted his bloodied teeth and ran forth.

A heavy strike took down one of the Exiles, adjusting to swing into the next. Another teleported before he could make contact, a searing pain tearing through his back as he tried to regain his balance. Illuga lost focus, polearm stabbing into the ground as his body stumbled into it. Blearily, he watched the Hunter raise its axe, unable to expend the energy even to brace himself.

A blinding streak of Electro shot past him, striking the Hunter with a small explosion of elemental energy. Illuga stumbled to his knees, breath rattling in his lungs as he rubbed his eyes into his sleeve. When he looked up, he followed a line of dark cloth up to a lantern, glowing bright with a peculiar blue flame.

Relief twined with his worries. Reinforcements have arrived, their echoing cries pushing Illuga to stand once again. He refrained from curling in on himself, pain radiating from his chest, and adjusted the grip on his polearm. But Flins could see right through him, from the injuries he suffered down to the misery clouding his mind.

𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 .

Ever since he reunited with Yuu, Mika had a feeling that it would come to this. Narumi had made several strong points; how long could a vampire fool himself into thinking he could favor humans over the blood he desired? Mika had studied his own reflection long after that discussion was dropped.

His emotions were decaying. He thought of his family, brutally murdered, one by one before his eyes. Ferid had mocked him, teasing him over a tragedy he was too weak to stop. He felt nothing. The image of Akane's head and Yuu's violent reaction came to mind. Mika should have been just as livid, or desperate, or anything at all.

If there was ever a day when Mika would look at Yuu's state and feel jaded, at best...

He couldn't protect Yuu like this.

"You're stronger than you were back then," he found himself commenting one day. "I thought I had to be the one to save you. That you might have been too reckless or lonely to save yourself."

Yuu had to be safe. Mika once thought that he was the only one capable to do so. But the truth of the matter was, he had long since had a squad that he could trust, wholeheartedly, to make the correct choice. They understood what being part of his family meant, just as well as Mika did. If anything happened to him, he believed Yuu would be safe in their care.

"But you found people who genuinely care about you. Your own family that can keep up with you, unlike before. I'm glad—"

It was unsettling to be aware of the turmoil inside his heart when it came to Yuu. Words caught in his throat, a surge of emotion welling when he looked into Yuu's indignant eyes and found out that he was terrified. Their future together never seemed bright, but Mika never wanted to leave his side, ever again, so long as he could help it.

exhaustion sentence starters

It was hardly unusual. Mika was certain he would have his own share of night terrors, if he could sleep. But if Rin had a chance to rest, Mika wouldn't let him miss out. A moment of peace, with someone trusted and able to watch over them, was a rare opportunity in this broken world.

"Do you want to talk about them?" Mika took a seat at the edge of the bed provided for Rin. He wasn't a stranger to the excuse, staying up well into the night plenty of times to keep his family company. Often enough, sharing their fears would have been enough to placate them. It seemed like so long ago now.

His hands curled tighter in his lap. It felt hypocritical to press Rin about it, given that Mika rarely wanted to talk about himself. But he would have done anything, if it meant Rin could feel at ease.

Again, from Flins for Illuga 🥹💕

for muses that are getting to know each other

"I could ask you the same thing." Illuga tilted his head with a knowing smile. He understood the question; Final Night Cemetery was a ways away from any civilization, with the looming shadow of the Experimental Design Bureau and a few gravestones to keep him company. The sun couldn't break through the clouds and dense fog—only the recently repaired lighthouse, bright and warm even from Piramida, offered any reassurance to anyone visiting the lonely isle.

"But I do. It might be unusual for others to visit a cemetery full of people they don't know, but these people were our comrades—family." Plus, it was where Flins chose to live. He wasn't unnerved at all.

Breaking a piece of flatbread from today's supply run, Illuga held it out to the puffins that lingered. But it seemed his affinity with Aedon didn't extend to the local wildlife. Tossing the pieces further away for the birds to enjoy, he stood from a crouch and turned to the Ratnik.

From Flins for Illuga (they own my heart!!!)

for muses that are getting to know each other

Illuga considered himself familiar with Flins' flattery. Or rather, he knew how to read through it when the taller Ratnik attempted to make light of a situation. But the sweet talk usually involved an overly optimistic judgment of character. Not once has he heard him compliment someone's features.

As such, he almost choked on his mead. Some of the Lightkeepers around them caught on and thumped on his back with hearty laughter. Illuga hurriedly waved them away and they returned to their card game, seemingly unaware of what was said. Clearing his throat, he wrapped both hands around the tankard and slid his gaze back to Flins. He hadn't bothered concealing his amusement, causing Illuga to frown.

"I... you..." Mission accomplished; between the alcohol and the compliment, he forgot what they were talking about.